


Murder On The Dance Floor

by Aunt_MaraJade



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Consensual Sex, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Freeform, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Modern AU, Mutual Pining, No Pregnancy, Rey Needs A Hug, Reylo - Freeform, Soft Ben Solo, Trust Issues, heartbroken rey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:16:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27508963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aunt_MaraJade/pseuds/Aunt_MaraJade
Summary: Hux is celebrating his birthday with the gang in his favorite club where the hottest guys in town meet. Ben, Hux's co-worker, accepts his invitation without knowing what he's getting himself into.When he meets a very cute girl named Rey, who appears to be giving him all the right signs, he thinks that the heavens are looking out for him from above for the first time in his life. But nothing is that simple for Ben Solo, is it?Aka, Ben meets Rey, who thinks she's meeting Hux's wanna-be boyfriend. What could go wrong?
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 37
Kudos: 72





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this idea of how fun it would be if Rey met Ben and misguidedly thinking he was gay. 
> 
> This is a very hard attempt to bring this prompt to life. Don't know if it's going or how it's going to work, but that's why we're here, right? 
> 
> Before I can start this story, I have to thank my wonderful beta Cecilia1204 and the lovely MagicalGirl, who made the amazing moodboard you can check at the beginning of this fic. 🥰🥰🥰
> 
> You can find both of them at the following accounts:
> 
> Cecilia1204: [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/queenoferebor12) \- [ Tumblr](https://queenoferebor1204.tumblr.com) \- [ AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cecilia1204).
> 
> MagicalGirl: [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/SavingWhatILove) \- [ Tumblr](https://SavingWhatILove.tumblr.com) \- [ AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SavingWhatILove)
> 
> They both are _the_ most patient and sweetest gals, because I can be a pain in the ass sometimes. 😬 
> 
> And thanks to each one of you who took the time to read this. I hope it delivers what you guys are waiting for. Fingers crossed.
> 
> ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

When Ben Solo accepted the invitation to Hux’s birthday party, he wasn’t expecting to be standing alone in the middle of a dance floor, in a very loud, crowded, gay club. 

Not that he had an issue with Hux choosing a gay bar to celebrate another year of his life. After all, Hux had never hidden the fact that he wasn’t straight and Ben never had any problem with what people did in their private life. What anyone did in the privacy of their bedroom was nobody's business but the persons involved. 

What he was more worried about was the fact that he wasn’t a very social person and, because of that, he didn’t go out to many events. To be honest, these days he didn't go out at all, let alone to a party as vibrant as this, with people actually dancing. Like, dancing _a lot_. Ben had never felt more awkward in his life. 

After desperately looking for Hux and not succeeding, he went to hide at the safest place he could find at the party: the bar.

Using the strategy of having something to occupy his hands to hide the fact that he was about to panic, he asked the bartender for a beer and continued to scan the place for a familiar face in the crowd. Hux, Phasma - anyone from the office where Hux and Ben were colleagues. Anyone that would help ease his growing despair.

His luck didn’t serve him well but something caught his eye: a very cute girl, dressed in a sparkly, short top and very tight pants that enhanced her perfect body with heavenly precision. Unfortunately, Ben’s luck continued to fail him when he noted that she was enthusiastically dancing with a guy. 

"Well, that one's taken," he said to himself. 

Taking pity on him, the Universe finally let him see Hux coming his way with Phasma on his heels. 

“Hi, Benny boy. I’m surprised you’re here. I didn’t know if you were coming but here you are. It’s good to see you man,” Hux said, giving Ben a hug. “And here I thought there would never come a day when I'd see Ben Solo out of his work suit. Did it ever occur to you, Phasma, that he had a pair of jeans in his closet?” Hux grinned at Phasma who also seemed surprised that he was at the party.

After looking around, Hux found the rest of his friends and waved in the direction of the hot girl and her boyfriend. Taking her hand, the guy led her towards the bar where they joined the whole gang.

The newcomer pulled Hux into a hug and squeezed him like he was about to break all of his ribs from the force of his arms.

"Hey, ginger head! Happy birthday! How does it feel to be the elder of us all?" asked the man, who moved out of the way so the girl could also embrace Hux and give him her congratulations.

"Hey! I'm not old. I'm just experienced."

"Whatever you say, man," the other man laughed at Hux's statement. 

Coming from behind, a dark skinned guy snuck up, covering Hux's eyes. "Guess who?" he said, trying to disguise his voice. 

“Oh my God, I have _no idea_. Who could that be?” Hux drawled nonchalantly, pretending to be surprised as he turned around to see his pal and greet him with a tight hug.

“How are you doing, Finn? I didn't see you there with Poe and Rey. I thought you're going to miss my party."

"Me? Never!" exclaimed Finn dramatically, looking as if he was offended by Hux's insinuation.

After a couple laughs, the group fell into an awkward silence, waiting for Hux to do what they were expecting him to do.

"Oh, how rude of me! Ben, this is Poe, Finn and Rey. Finn used to work in our Marketing department. And you all know Phasma, right guys?" 

"Nice to meet you." Ben extended his hand to greet each one. While Poe and Finn shook his hand, Rey stood on her tiptoes to reach his height and gave him two kisses, one on each of his cheeks. 

Taken by surprise, Ben stared at her, a little blush coloring his face. 

"Nice to meet you, Ben. Hux talks about you all the time," Rey said with a smile lighting her face, visibly not affected by her gesture. 

"Well, I don't know what he's been saying but I can guarantee you that none of it is true," he replied, looking at her and trying to act casual and not as flirtatious as he wanted to be. He didn’t want to disrespect an unavailable lady.

"Okay, guys, it's time to partyyyyyy! First round's on me." Poe rushed everybody to the bar to order shots he intended to help to loosen up the party. 

Hitting the bar, the dark haired man greeted the bartender and ordered six shots of tequila. When their drinks arrived, everybody held their glasses waiting for Poe’s instruction. 

"Okay, at the court of three. One, two, three, go!" Everyone downed their shots in unison. Ben, feeling the strong liquid burn down his throat, controlled the urge to make an ugly face. _Ow, this thing is strong._

Already sensing the effect of the alcohol, Ben saw that none of the others seemed to notice how powerful the drink was when he was already feeling it acting on his system. Was he that light of a drinker or was he just a nerd who lived his life ‘all work and no fun’? 

Before he could mentally answer his own question, a Lady Gaga song started to blast in the club. 

"I love this song!" Hux screamed, throwing his arms up in the air. "Everybody to the dance floor, now!" 

While all the gang followed Hux, swaying to the loud music, Ben stayed behind, glued to one of the bar stools, feeling quite uncomfortable with the whole situation. 

Alone and standing out like a sore thumb, Ben asked the bartender for one more beer, looking for something to hold, something that would help to soothe his nerves. 

In the middle of the dance floor, already enjoying the music, Rey looked around and saw Ben look visibly uncomfortable and miserable, trying to make himself as invisible as possible. Which was funny, considering the guy was as tall as a sequoia. Feeling bad for him, she decided to ease his agony, walking in his direction so she could ask if he wanted to dance with her. 

"Hey, big boy. Can I have the pleasure of you joining me in a dance to this song?" she asked, pretending to bow while making a chivalrous move with her hand. 

"I would be thrilled, but I don't dance," Ben replied, trying not to let her see how disappointed he was for not being able to accept her invitation. 

It wasn’t that he didn't want to. He just didn't think that it was a good idea to look stupid in front of her. Boyfriend or not, she was still pretty cute. 

"What do you mean? Everybody's dancing," Rey countered quite loudly, trying to be heard over the ear splitting music. "Come on," she insisted with a lovely smile stamped on her face.

"Sorry, this is really not my thing. I get scared just thinking about it." It was so frustrating, but he couldn't let himself look like a dork dancing at her side. 

"You don't have to be afraid. I'm not a great dancer either."

She was trying her best to change his mind but was appearing to be woefully failing. 

"The secret is to pretend that no one's watching," she argued, trying to convince him one last time.

"I don't know, it still looks pretty scary to me." Ben eyed her, still not feeling certain that he would be safe if he stepped out of his comfort zone.

"Let's make a deal then. We'll dance together, you just have to follow my lead. How does that sound?" 

_Pretty terrifying_ , he heard a voice screaming inside his head, the survival instincts of his Neanderthal brain kicking into gear. 

On the other hand, he could feel his defences crumbling from the power of her smile, even as he averted his eyes. That adorable smile. How could he deny her anything? 

Convinced that, if he agreed, he still could keep that grin on her lips, he gave up arguing with her and decided to man up and face the challenge ahead of him. 

_God have mercy on me._

"Okay, but just one song." Taking a good drink of liquid courage, Ben finished his beer and took the hand that she extended towards him. 

Rey guided him through the crowd of people rocking to the sound of the music. Reaching the middle of the floor, Ben instantly froze, watching as she stood in front of him, starting to sway to the beat of the song.

_It's murder on the dance floor  
You'd better not kill the groove_

"That's reassuring," Ben thought to himself, mentally cursing the heavens. 

"Let's begin with the basics. Just take my hand and sway with me." 

Okay, take her hand. He could do that. 

"It's really easy. You just have to move from side to side," she instructed, holding his hand, making sure to help him feel more at ease and confident. 

"Come, mirror my moves. One to the left, one to the right." Ben was already having second thoughts about his choice of saying yes to this dance lesson. 

"Try to feel the rhythm of the music. Don't worry, it's okay if you can't follow it." 

The only thing Ben was feeling was the sudden heart attack he was surely about to have. 

"Don't panic. Sometimes I can't either. The secret is to just have fun and don't overthink it."

He looked like a deer caught in headlights. All the blood from his veins seemed to vanish, leaving behind only pale, cold skin. 

But for some mysterious reason, Rey didn't seem to notice his anguish. 

Proud of his progress, she shouted excitedly, jumping up and down. "Look at you, Ben. You're dancing! I told you it wasn't rocket science."

"I don't know. I wouldn't be so sure. This is still pretty uncomfortable to me."

"Just relax, man. Believe me, no one is paying attention. They're more concerned about their own dance moves than checking out others."

Rey was trying her best to make a point and help him chill out. Searching for her next words, she soothed her voice in an attempt to reassure him. "Everybody is a little self-aware about their behaviour, so they focus more on judging themselves than paying attention to others around them. Just like you're doing now."

Thankful for her kindness, Ben saw a opening to change the topic of conversation to the reason why he'd subjected himself to this torture. 

"So, your boyfriend doesn't mind if you dance with other men?" 

"What boyfriend?" Rey asked, giving him a funny look. 

Ben nodded in Poe's direction. "I saw him with you right before Hux arrived. You were dancing together when I came in."

"You mean Poe?" Rey looked towards the spot where he was dancing like there was no tomorrow, Finn right in front of him. "Poe is Finn's boyfriend. He's one of the most openly gay people I've ever met."

Rey began laughing at the thought of Poe being mistaken as her boyfriend. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." Ben flinched at his obvious error, but she didn’t seem upset about his mistake. 

So, no boyfriend. The night just started to get a little bit more interesting. After all, now he had a chance to win the beautiful girl standing in front of him. He just had to make sure that no other guy caught her eye before he had a chance to charm her. Problem was, Ben was terrible at this flirting thing.

 _Okay, let's do this, Ben. Don't ruin it for yourself. She asked you to dance with her. That's a good sign, right?_ God, he hadn't even started the whole seduction thing and was already sweating at the thought of what to do next. 

"So, do you come here often?" 

_God lord, man, what's wrong with you? You couldn’t pick a better line than that?_ He kicked himself for being such a moron. 

By some miracle that science couldn't explain, she stood on her tiptoes, trying to reach his ear in an effort to make herself heard.

"Not really. Poe used to come here almost every weekend until he started to date Finn. I just came a couple of times. What about you?" she asked.

"Me? No, it's my first time here." 

"Really? I thought this was _the_ place to be. At least that's what Hux keeps telling everyone."

"I'm just not a party type of guy," he shrugged, making a mental note of how lame his personal life was. He really needed to get out more, escape his hideout shelter.

"Well, good for you."

Ben was running out of subjects to keep the conversation going and she was clearly showing signs of feeling the same way. 

Not knowing what to say next, he resolved to choose the safest option at his disposal. To run away. 

"I'm going to the bar to grab a beer. Do you want me to get you anything?" 

Oh man, why did this have to be so hard for him? He had the cutest, most adorable girl dancing in front of him. No, erase that - she was dancing _with_ him. The girl was right there so why couldn't he be less of a dumbhead? 

"You know what? I think I'll go with you. These stupid shoes are starting to kill me."

Damn, he was seemingly doing everything to ruin this thing but it looked like his luck didn't have any limits this night. Praise the Lord for looking out for him from above.

Ben led the way, Rey following right behind. At the bar, he raised his hand to the bartender to get his attention. 

"What are you drinking?" he asked her. 

"A beer is fine."

He raised two fingers, signaling to the bartender what he wanted. 

"So, how did you meet Poe and Finn?" he asked, still trying to make small talk. 

"Finn and I went to the same college. He’s a sweetheart and has been my roommate for like, forever," she replied, clearly demonstrating that he was important to her. Making a mental note, he deduced that, because of how far back their history went, Finn was probably one of her best friends. That may come in handy in the future. Who knew? Right now he was holding on to anything that could help him win the girl.

"Finn met Poe on a dating app. They started seeing each other about a year ago and the rest is history," she said, suddenly lowering her voice and ending the conversation. 

Something on the dance floor seemed to catch her eye so Ben turned his head to see what had made her lose interest in their conversation. 

She was clearly looking for somebody, maybe a guy? Her date? Damn, why did the Universe keep sending him such mixed signals? 

"You're waiting for someone?" Ben asked, afraid that his luck had gone straight to the trash can. 

"More like avoiding someone," Rey replied, eyes still locked on the dance floor. 

"If you tell me what he looks like, I could help you with your search." 

"Oh, he's not here. I was just making sure of it."

Relieved, he asked, "Ex-boyfriend?" 

"Yeah, you could say that." She didn't look very comfortable talking about it, so he decided to drop the subject. 

By the time they finished their drinks, Ben was playing with the label on his bottle, feeling awkward for not having more topics to offer at that moment. His shyness started to peak again and the panic he'd felt on the dance floor threatened to come back with a vengeance. 

He mentally beat himself for spending so much of his life immersed in his work. Cute girls like Rey didn't fall in his lap every day and now he could lose her for not having the bare social skills to hold a pleasant conversation. Unfortunately for him, finance spreadsheets weren't a popular theme of discussion.

"Do you want to go back on the floor?" Ben didn't really like the idea but he was growing desperate. 

"I don't know. I can't see Phas, Finn and Poe are in the zone, and look over there - Hux just got lucky."

Ben looked where Rey was pointing and saw Hux necking with a guy. It seemed like everyone was hooking up except for him. 

"Do you want to get out of here?" Rey asked, out of nowhere. 

"Excuse me?" Ben had heard her, he just couldn't believe possible implications of what she had said. 

"You know, go somewhere else. Where we can get away from this deafening noise."

Not trusting his voice, Ben just nodded as if it was the only way he knew how to communicate with the world right now. 

Rey took his hand, leading them to the exit. "Let's go, big guy. I have a place in mind for us to go.” 

Ben wasn't religious but, at that moment, he thanked all the saints he could remember. 

**********

After ordering two hot dogs, Rey looked for a bench for them to sit. She loved this place. It was peaceful and had a beautiful view of one of the city parks. 

"I hope this is okay? I wasn't in the mood to go somewhere else with a lot of noise and I come here with the guys a lot."

"Of course not. This is fine. More than fine, actually. It looks lovely." 

_I could sit with you in the gutter and it still would be fine_ , he thought, but decided to keep that to himself. "So… do you come here often?" 

Rey looked at him, trying to understand why he would ask her that since she had just said that she came here with the guys all the time. But before she could make a fool out of herself, she remembered the obviously uncomfortable question he used to start a conversation with her at the club. 

"Okay, I must say you almost caught me with that one," she giggled, nudging him with her shoulder, trying to laugh at herself and sound a little less embarrassed. 

"So, what do you do for a living?" she asked, covering her mouth to hide the fact she had a mouth filled with too much food.

"I work in accounting. A very exciting job, may I say," he joked "And you?" Ben asked her, playing with the snack in his hand. 

"I just graduated from college," Rey said, having a hard time swallowing her hot dog. "Civil engineering. Not the most thrilling career either."

"At least you get to work with actual people. Most of the time it's just me and my computer."

"Is that where you met Hux?" 

"Yeah. He started working there a few months ago and I don't know how or why, but we ended up becoming friends." 

Honestly, Ben didn’t know why Hux chose him to be one of his pals. He remembered the first time Hux spoke to him, out of the blue, about something not related to work. He'd almost looked behind him to see if someone else was approaching.

"I think you two make quite a pair," Rey remarked.

"God, no! Hux isn't my type, you know," he chuckled. "You are a lot more like my type." 

If he wanted to get lucky tonight he had better step up his game before he ran out of topics to talk about.

"Oh, thanks. You're too kind." 

She seemed a little bit embarrassed by his statement. Maybe she was as shy as he was when it came to these things? 

Feeling bolder, Ben decided to make a move. It was now or never. Time to call in the big guns and go all in.

He looked at her lips, imagining how delicious they would be when he tasted them for the first time. Her expressive, beautiful hazel eyes stared directly at him. Really slowly, like he was afraid that she would run at the first wrong move, he closed the distance between them, taking the final step that would seal their lips, and then… 

"Oi, what are you doing?" she cried, pushing him away gently.

"Um...trying to kiss you?" 

"Why?" Rey asked, her voice rising with her confusion. 

"Because I think you're cute and I kind of like you?"

"Wait? What are you saying?" She looked puzzled, her eyes searching his to make some sense about what had just happened.

"I'm sorry. I thought you were interested too. You asked me to dance, were super nice to me at the bar and then you suggested we go somewhere else, which, I have to admit, thought you meant something totally different. I'm really sorry, okay? I obviously read the signs wrong."

"Wait? Did you think I was flirting with you?" Now she was more confused than ever.

"Well, weren't you?" 

"I thought you were gay!" 

Suddenly, all the pieces started to make sense. After all, he had been acompanied by Hux and Phasma, two gay people, in a gay club. Damn it, he was probably the only heterosexual man in the whole place. And, to top it all off, he couldn't have picked the worst time to make that joke about Hux not being his type. God, this was a disaster. 

"Well, clearly I'm not a gay man, but right now, I'm a very humiliated straight one." Ben could not believe how the universe had betrayed him. And he thought that God had taken pity on him and decided to give him this amazing gift wrapped in a red bow with the words: ‘To Ben Solo, we’re sorry for making your life so miserable until now.’

"I'm sorry that I gave you the wrong impression,” Rey started to apologize, trying not to make him feel bad about the whole mix-up. “But I think it would be wise to be more careful when Hux asks you out next time. Maybe he thinks you're gay too and is hoping for something more."

"Well, that explains a lot when you put it that way." Embarrassed and humiliated, Ben didn't know what to say to mend the situation. What could he possibly say to make things worse? "At least I didn't invite you to my apartment and try to have sex with you."

That. That made everything a lot worse. Like, _a lot_.

Surprisingly, Rey began to laugh at the absurdity of the whole thing. Ben was amazed by her good spirits and grateful he didn't have to make amends for his horrible attempt at trying to lighten things up. 

"I'm glad you're laughing because it didn't sound too funny to me. I mean, just imagine the situation. If I think I'm feeling rejected now… a plane crash would look pretty in comparison."

Rey started to laugh even harder, almost choking on her hot dog. 

"I find solace that my capacity to land jokes are better than my ability to court someone."

Drying the tears from her eyes, Rey finally was able to catch her breath. "I'm sorry, Ben. I just didn't think that my night would end up with a gay guy, who isn't gay at all, trying to hit on me."

"I'm glad it did. At least you could get a laugh or two."

Standing up, Rey looked for a trash bin to discard the leftovers of her meal. "Well, as much as I'm having a good time with you, I think it's best if I hit the road. It's getting late after all."

"Can I walk you to a cab?" 

"If it's not going to be too much bother."

"Of course not. Just wait until I pick my ego up off the floor." Once again, he was able to put a smile on her face. 

"You know, Ben, you're a really funny guy. I mean, in a good way."

"Thanks. It's not everyday that I get to hear that. It's nice to know that my disgrace is amusing to people who don't know me at all," Ben said, praying that he was still making her laugh. Damn, she had the most adorable smile. Why couldn't heaven look down kindly at him for once in his life? 

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me, although I really think you ought to have a serious conversation with Hux."

 _Oh crap, there was that too_ , Ben thought, rolling his eyes and cursing the stars once more for his misfortune.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this fanfic and the music Ben and Rey dance on this chapter is "Murder on the Dance Floor" by Sophie Ellis-Bextor. 
> 
> You can listen to it clicking [ here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAx6mYeC6pY&ab_channel=SEllisBextorVEVO). 
> 
> I know, this song is from the 00's but bear with me, okay? Just imagine there's a part of the soundtrack of that party that's dedicated to the good old days.
> 
> What can I say? I'm practically elderly in this fandom. 😆
> 
> If you like my work, you can also find me on [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/AuntJade) or [ Tumblr](https://auntmarajade.tumblr.com).
> 
> You can check my other fanfic “Blank Space” [ here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24280933). 
> 
> Yes, all the titles of my fanfics come from songs. Don’t judge, okay? I’m that creative.
> 
> If you really, really like this story, please, leave your kudos and commentaries below. I live for them. 😍
> 
> Kisses, love you all! ❤️❤️❤️


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, guys. I know I promised to deliver this chapter a few weeks ago, but it took me longer than I expected to finish it. I went on a trip to visit my family so I decided to let my computer and cellphone aside to not drive my mom crazy. 
> 
> Once again, I have to thank my amazing beta, **Cecilia1204**. You can find her on[ Twitter](https://twitter.com/queenoferebor12), [ Tumblr](https://queenoferebor1204.tumblr.com) and [ AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cecilia1204).
> 
> ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

_Dear Lord, what have I got myself into?_

Once more, Ben found himself in a very awkward situation involving a crowded place filled with music and dancing people. This time around he was at Finn’s birthday. Although they'd had little interaction when they worked together at First Order, he and Hux were close friends so, by proxy, Finn asked the ginger head to invite Ben to his party.

Normally, Ben would have politely refused the invitation, coming up with some lame excuse, but one thing made him change his mind about subjecting himself to an experience he'd usually find himself loathing: Rey.

For some reason, he couldn’t forget the cute girl with the infectious smile that danced with him just a couple of weeks ago. The way her soft hands felt in his as she led him to the beat of the music. How good she smelled every time he had the opportunity to get close to her. The way her luscious lips came so close to touching his in that shameful incident - it all became imprinted in his mind. 

More often than not, he found himself daydreaming about her; while he was looking at a boring financial sheet or when he was thrashing around in his bed, unable to sleep. 

Even though she had made it clear that she wasn’t interested in him, Ben couldn’t help but hope that maybe she would change her mind if he had another chance to woo her with his charm. Even though he knew that he had the charm of a stone wall.

Wanting to avoid the same uncomfortable situation of arriving at a party too early and finding himself terrified of being alone and lost in it, Ben decided to show up a bit later than the hour Hux had said to meet at the club. Relieved to see that his strategy worked, he walked to where his friends stood at the bar.

As he greeted them, he was disappointed to note that Rey wasn’t there. He scanned the place but he couldn’t find her amongst the sea of people crowding the club.

Would this be another awkward night of him feeling totally inadequate and out of place, wishing the ground would open up and swallow him? Apparently he hasn’t learned anything from his latest fiascos.

Oh God, here it comes again. That terrifying feeling of not knowing what to do in a situation like this, when he was forced to interact with real people, to socialize and pretend that this wasn’t an awful and terrifying experience for him. 

“Hi, guys! I’m sorry I’m late. Traffic was a nightmare." Ben tried to sound as casual as one could when they were having a meltdown inside their head.

Congratulating Finn on his birthday, Ben took his time greeting Poe, Hux and Phasma. The frustration of not seeing Rey was stamped on his face. As much as he tried, it was hard to hide the disappointment of not being able to spend his night enjoying her pleasant company and adorable smile, which brought such joy to his heart, awakening in him a feeling that he hadn't felt for so long.

“So... I see that Rey couldn’t make it to your party. Is she okay? I mean, you’re best friends, right? I wouldn't think she'd miss your birthday unless she was really sick or something like that.”

“Rey? No, she’s here,” Finn had to shout so he could be heard over the loud music “She went to pick up a beer but never came back.” Trying to find her in the crowd, Finn pointed to Rey, who was happily engaged with some unknown guy. 

“There she is. She's talking to that work of art in the shape of a man. Lucky for her I'm already taken,” Finn nudged Ben at his joke.

When he saw Rey being charmed by a tall, blonde, tanned guy who was standing too close to her in his opinion, Ben’s blood left this face. He was certain that his heart stopped for a moment as he felt a cutting pain in his guts.

_Well, good on you for being such a coward. If you had the guts to be here on time, no matter if you were going to be standing alone waiting for her to show up, you would be the one charming her right now, not some dude that, he had to admit, was really handsome even for his standards._

Ben wasn’t known for being an outgoing guy, so it was with no surprise that Phasma saw in his eyes the despair of someone who didn’t know what to do next. 

His attempt to woo Rey at Hux's party was, by now, public knowledge between the group, so it was pretty obvious that Ben was internally screaming for help. But, there was a task force that believed the two of them made a cute couple and were determined to help Ben get the girl.

Looking at Hux, Phasma gave him a signal that said they needed to act fast to stop Ben from running away to who knows where, to lick his wounds in peace. 

Without hesitation, Phas grabbed Ben’s arm and began pulling him towards where Rey was.

“Hey, Benny boy! What are you doing standing here without a drink? Let’s go, I’m heading to the bar. Follow me so we can get this party started.” 

Awakened from the stupor of his nightmare and realizing where Phasma was heading, Ben felt his heart beat so hard he could pass out at any moment. Panicking, he tried to release his arm from her grip, trying to form an excuse to not be dragged into the uncomfortable situation he was dreading.

“No, Phas. I’m... I’m fine. I don’t think I need a drink right now. Really, I’m okay. Let me go, there’s no reason to- ”

Before he could have his pleas heard, Ben found himself standing behind Rey, watching her deeply involved in conversation with the reincarnation of Adonis.

_Well, maybe she won't turn around and see you. I just have to make sure she continues to give Romeo all her attention so I can grab a beer and get the hell out of here._

Having a hard time making himself as invisible as possible, he cursed his genetics for making him so tall and wide. Maybe hitting the gym every single day didn't help him in this situation at all.

_Okay, you’re doing great, man. Just keep it cool. You’re going to make it. Now get the attention of the bartender and do not, in any freaking way, bump into her or this is going to be a disaster._

But at that exact moment, some motherfucker, bastard, son of a bitch bumped into him, making him crash against Rey’s back, which made her turn around to see who the asshole was that almost knocked her and her beer to the floor.

“Hey! Watch where you’re walking you- ”. Caught by surprise, Rey stood looking at him for a second before acknowledging his presence and giving him a big smile in greeting.

“Ben, hi! What are you doing here? Trying to make people spill their drinks on themselves?”

“Hey there. I’m so sorry. Someone just bumped me and pushed me into you. Are you okay?”

Ben searched for a stain or something that indicated he had ruined her top. Luckily, her beer survived the crash and her clothes remained unscathed. Which couldn’t be said for his crotch which, after scanning her body and the tiny skirt she was wearing, was feeling a lot tighter than a minute ago.

“I’m fine, though I feel like I was almost run over by a bulldozer,” she giggled, giving him one of her breathtaking smiles. 

There it was. The smile that could melt a whole iceberg followed by her unique sense of humor. The one that made him secretly fall for her. How could he explain something like this? He'd only met the girl once but was already enchanted by her. If only she had eyes for him...

Unfortunately, he had no way to compete against guys like the one standing beside her. 

He always felt awkward in his own skin. Uncomfortable with his bulky, tall figure, his nose too big as were his ears and his skin too pale for his liking. His crooked teeth made him feel self-conscious when he smiled. It was with no surprise that people labeled him as a scowling, sulky man. 

How was he supposed to be a match for tanned, good looking, charming guys like Don Juan over there? It wasn’t fair.

Pretending there was nothing wrong, that his heart wasn't feeling shattered into a million pieces, he accepted his defeat. The only thing he could do was decide to not be a sore loser, so he extended his hand to salute the winner of Rey’s heart.

“Hi, man. Nice to meet you. I’m Ben. Rey’s Ben. I mean, Rey’s _friend_. We’re just friends. Just, uh… nice to meet you.”

_Congratulations! You just made yourself look like the biggest fool in front of her and her irritatingly attractive date. It doesn’t take a genius to see why she isn't interested in you. Get yourself together and stop acting like a total moron._

How hard was it to act normal and not embarrass himself in front of the girl he was so infatuated with? Why did he have to be like that?

“Hi, Ben, I’m Chris. I’m Rey’s coworker. We just ran into each other. I didn’t know she would be here tonight. I was just passing by to say hello.”

“Hum… that’s okay. I guess.” 

Ben frowned, confused by the guy’s attitude. Why was he acting like he didn’t want to cross any boundaries with Rey? Like he owed an explanation as to why he was there talking to her? Did he think he was her date? That by saying that she was 'her Ben' he was letting him know that he should stay away from her? Really? Wow. That was unexpected. 

“It was nice to see you, Rey. I’m glad to know there’s life outside of our excruciating job.” Shaking Ben’s hand, her colleague turned to leave the couple alone. “Glad to meet you, Ben. Take good care of her. She’s really special.”

Watching 'Prince Charming ain’t got nothin’ on me' walk away, he remained stupefied by the fact that anyone would think Rey would choose him over a guy like that. Did he accidentally take acid and on a delirious trip or something like that?

“Rey, I’m... I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin your, uh… the thing that was going on with you and your- ”

“No, no. He’s just a friend from work.”

“Well... lucky me then,” he shrugged, trying to make her laugh about the awkward situation.

“Oh, don't worry about that.” Once again, she gave him one of her radiant smiles. “It’s nice to see you here. I thought you said that you didn’t like parties. Did Hux force you into this? Did he ask you out on a date? Did he finally have the nerve to make a move on you?”

“I hope that’s not the case. I took your advice and did everything in my power to show him that I’m into girls.” He began counting on his fingers all the steps he had made to convince Hux of his sexual preference.

“I gushed at how hot Scarlett Johansson was in her tight outfit in the last Avengers movie. Talked about my favorite Playmate of all time and today, I begged him to help me ask Sheila from HR out on a date, although I don’t know what I would do if she said yes.” 

Hearing that someone caught Ben’s attention besides her, Rey felt a strange tightening in her chest. But why? It didn’t make sense. After all, she was the one who turned him down the night he tried to kiss her. 

Why did the thought of Ben going out with some other girl leave a bitter taste in her mouth? That would have to be a debate for another time. Now, she needed to focus on how to continue their conversation without letting this new found jealousy take control.

“You wouldn't know what to do if she said yes? What makes you say that?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I do want to go out with her but I’m too scared of being rejected. She’s pretty cute and lovely, but I don’t think she would be interested in a guy like me.” 

“What do you mean by 'a guy like me'?”

“Well, you know, I’m not the type of guy girls find themselves attracted to.”

“Why not?”

“Believe me, experience has taught me this a lot of times. May I remind you what happened the last time I tried to make a pass at someone?”

“Ben, that was an unfortunate situation. It doesn’t mean that, because I wasn’t interested, other girls wouldn’t like you.” 

Searching for someone in the crowd, Rey saw a familiar face looking in their direction. “In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m noticing that you've already caught someone’s eye. Don’t look now but, judging by her appearance, I think you’ll be very interested.”

Curious that someone could be attracted to him, Ben immediately turned his head to see if he could spot where the woman might be.

“Damn it, Ben! What part of 'don’t look at her' didn’t you understand?” Rey grabbed him by the hem of his shirt to pull him back to her and avoid more awkwardness. “Jesus, you’re proven to be a lot worse than I thought you would be when it came to flirting.”

Seeing as how Ben felt so insecure he couldn't believe that another girl could be attracted to him, Rey felt a pang of guilt for being one of the reasons he felt that way. So, she did the one thing that her gut was telling her _not_ to do: fix him up with the first woman she saw as competition.

“You know what? I think I’m going to redeem myself after the fiasco I dragged you into when we first met and I’m going to do what I do best: I’ll be your wingman tonight.”

“Rey, you don’t need to- ”

“Sush! Don’t interrupt me. I’m trying to think of the perfect plan to have you leave this party with that girl in your arms.”

“Okay, Doctor Evil.” He eyed her with a suspicious look that said that he wasn’t sure he was going to like where this was leading. “What are your plans to conquer the world tonight?"

“For starters, are you interested in her? Because if you are, I’m sure I can help you get the girl.” 

“First, I can’t say if I’m interested since you didn’t let me look at the girl who’s checking me out, and second, when did you become an expert on giving free lessons at parties? When we met, you taught me how to dance and now you’re about to give me a class on how to pick up women. What’s next? Flower Arranging for Dummies?”

“You’re such a smart ass, aren’t you? Well, if you think you don’t need my assistance to get the girl, then be my guest. Let’s see how far you get without me.” 

Crossing her arms, Rey stared at him in defiance, making room so he could see the woman. 

Turning around really slowly, trying to look as casual as possible and pretending to be looking for someone else at the bar, he spotted the woman of the hour. Wearing a short black dress with a low cut cleavage that left almost nothing to the imagination, a tall, slim, long-haired brunette was devouring him with her eyes. 

Turning to face Rey, he saw a smile that told him how proud she was of his smoothness. It was such a pity that she didn’t think he was smooth enough to win her over. 

He knew it sounded stupid, but he couldn’t help but imagine how things would have turned out if their previous encounter had ended on a different note. If it had, she wouldn’t be here trying to fix him up with some other girl. 

Instead, she would be slowly swaying in his arms, sliding her delicate hands over his chest, tracing patterns with her fingernails, eyes full of passion and seductiveness, her velvet voice melting in his ears, saying how she wanted to end their night in his bed.

Upon hearing Rey’s voice calling him from a distant place, Ben was yanked from his wet dream to the bittersweet reality.

“Ben, hey! I’m talking to you. What do you say?”

“Excuse me, what?”

“What do you mean, 'what'?' Are you sleeping?” She made a face and pinched his arm painfully. “About the girl who’s ogling you. Are you game or not?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, still debating whether it was a good idea to hit on a girl in front of the one that he was really wanting to impress. “I mean, she’s beautiful. She looks pretty nice. Could be a model, maybe?”

Rey tried to pretend that his commentary about the woman's beauty didn’t affect her. It was silly to think that he wouldn't find anyone else attractive but her. Sure, she was the one who had turned him down when he tried to kiss her but she couldn’t but feel a little hurt that he would move on so quickly.

“So... I think it means that you’re interested in her. Right?”

“Yeah, I think so. But how will you help me get her? Do you know her? Or are you that good that you can fix me up with anyone at any time?”

“Okay, Mr. Smarty Pants,” she answered, a little more harshly than necessary. ”Are you going to make this into a joke or are you going to cooperate so I can help you get your 'model' to fall in your arms?” 

“Why are you acting passive aggressive all of a sudden? Did I say something wrong?”

Rey didn’t mean to sound so pissed off when referring to Ben’s commentary on the woman's looks but she was starting to feel a little frustrated that he would find some stranger prettier than her. Why does it matter anyway? It wasn’t like she wanted Ben for herself because she _definitely_ didn’t.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you. I want to help you with this so I can make it up to you for that disaster of all evening when I made you believe I was into you.”

“Hey, it's fine. I don’t want you to think that you have to do anything to mend things. It was my fault that I can't discern when someone is interested in me from when they are just being super nice because they think I'm harmless because I'm obviously gay.” 

Ben was being honest when he said that Rey hadn't done anything wrong that night. How could she do anything wrong when everything about her felt so right?

"You don't owe me anything, Rey,” he admitted. “In fact, the whole thing was my fault. It had nothing to do with you or your actions.”

“I know. But I’m still feeling a little guilty for letting a nice guy like you spend his whole night enduring the worst date ever.”

If she only knew how it was the most perfect date he’d had in a long time, she wouldn’t be saying things like that. Although the night didn’t end the way he hoped, everything else felt so perfect. It only took one evening with her to be completely enchanted.

It was kind of sad that the woman he desired was trying to find him someone else. He wasn’t sure if that was what he wanted, but he had a beautiful woman looking at him like he was her next meal, so…

Also, he knew that he had no chance to be with Rey, so maybe it was time to move on before he created more dreams about a future with her that clearly wouldn't come true. 

And the prospect of being laid wasn’t bad at all. God knows when was the last time he had a woman in his bed. 

_Cheer up, man. Life is throwing you a bone. Don’t go losing it because you can’t stop obsessing over a lost cause._

Putting on his best poker face, he turned to Rey and pretended to be very enthusiastic about the whole thing. 

_You know what? Fuck it! You’re desperately in need of a win for a change. Let’s do it, big boy!_

“Okay, I’ll let you help me with this. What’s the plan?” 

“First of all, let me fill you in on information about the girl in question. That’s Bazine Netal, Poe’s friend. Don’t ask me how or when they met because, who cares. The only thing I know is that if there is a party where the guys will be, she’ll be there too. I was surprised that I didn’t see her at Hux’s birthday.” 

Leaning in so she could talk to him without screaming, Rey took a step towards Ben, invading his space. One that he didn’t need her to be in, since it was already pretty difficult to have to change his mind and go for the new girl.

“Too bad for you, Ben. If she'd been there you could have skipped this skinny little thing and gone directly to the juicy meat.”

If Rey knew that she was the most delicious thing he had ever seen, she wouldn't be making puns about meals because it brought so many images to his mind of how much he wanted to eat her and-

_Red light! Red light! Do not go there! Not now or you’ll have to explain why you’ve suddenly got a boner out of the blue because she certainly will feel it if she moves another inch closer._

Thankfully, Rey didn’t seem to catch the dilemma going on in his crotch and kept on explaining her plan.

“Bazine is the kind of girl who plays hard to get, but only when a guy approaches her. That’s not her cup of tea. What she really likes is to get a man who is already taken. Poe likes to say that she’s a homewrecker. Put a guy with a ring on his finger next to her and you’ll be sick when you see how nasty things can get.”

Great. He'd always wanted a woman who had no regard for destroying happy homes. Really great.

“You can’t see, but she can’t stop checking you out. She probably thinks that we’re together so she’s probably running through her head all the strategies she’ll need to steal you from me.” Rey shook her head in disapproval of the woman's _modus operandi_. “What can I say? Some girls are all about defeating the competition.”

“I get it. Bazine likes the shackled ones. And what now? I just go there and say 'Hi, I'm Ben. You don’t know me but can you help me cheat on my girlfriend?'”

“Yes, Ben, that’s perfect! I don’t even know what I’m doing here because you’re a natural... A natural _disaster!_ ," she nearly yelled at him. “How did you ever get yourself laid? No wonder you're so desperate for my guidance.”

After giving him a disapproving look for his lack of game, Rey moved on with her explanation.

“Here’s the plan. We’ll stand like this.” She placed Ben in the spot she needed him to be so she could have a clear view of where Bazine stood without blocking the woman’s view of Ben. 

For her plan to be successful, they needed to sell the idea that Ben was her date so they could grab her attention and make her come and snatch her man.

“There, much better. If I can see her, I can say whether she's buying our ruse or not.” 

She checked one more time to be sure that Bazine was still interested in them. After confirmation that the girl had not given up on seducing Ben, she began their game.

“Okay, let’s start this show.” She mentally cracked her knuckles, preparing herself to give the best performance of her life. 

If it was to convince Bazine that she was into Ben or to deceive herself that she wasn’t, was a question for another time.

“First things first: flirt with me. Talk about anything. It doesn’t matter what, just keep looking into my eyes and smiling like a fool.”

He felt really thankful for not having to find a subject to talk about, since he felt anxious just at the prospect of having to make small talk with Rey. Also, it was pretty easy to follow her instructions. Looking like a fool was what he did best.

“While we’re casually chatting, start to make physical contact, like lightly touching my arm or caressing my hand,” she commanded. “Do anything that you can to demonstrate that you’re trying to impress me.” 

Rey continued enthusiastically explaining her infallible plan while he kept wondering how on earth he was supposed to pretend to be into her when he was sure it was written all over his face that he was head over feet. 

Knowing she wanted him to touch her did unspeakable things to him. They were so close right now that he could feel her body heat warming his.

The thought of having to pretend to be close to her, to touch her - dear God, maybe even kiss her - was nearly giving him a heart attack. 

But what would happen if things got to that point? Once he tasted her lips, would he be able to let her go? Would he be able to turn his back on her and go with another girl?

“So, do you have any questions? Are you ready to get lucky?” she chuckled. “Just don’t forget that, if this works, you’re the one who'll pay for my drinks all night.”

“Something says that I’ll regret this sooner than I expect.”

“Stop complaining and let’s get on with it.”

As they planned, he talked to her about frivolous things, asking about her day, what her favorite color was, what kind of movies she liked - maybe he'd get lucky and discover that she was a geek like him. 

As their conversation kept going, her smile became bigger and brighter. He knew it was just for show but, by that point, it didn’t matter anymore. Anything so he could stay with her a little longer.

“Okay, I can tell that she’s very interested in what is going on here. Now it's time for you to give her a little of your attention. Go on, give her a look.”

Like the moron that he was, Ben didn’t hear a single word she said, still immersed in his own world where there was only him and Rey, 

“Ben! I said ‘look at her!’” she yelled. “Stop staring at me like an idiot. That part of the plan has already been accomplished.” 

“Sorry, my bad.”

“You’re insufferable.”

"You're really bossy when you want to be."

_And I like it,_ Ben thought, deciding to keep that information to himself, before he could ruin this. Like he always did.

“Now, let’s turn up the heat so we can be sure who her prey is going to be tonight.”

Without warning, Rey spun, standing with her backside pressed against his crotch. 

_Oh my God, this woman is going to be the death of me. And, by the looks of it, my friends might as well start preparing my funeral._

Oblivious to the despair of her partner in crime, Rey pulled his arms around her waist, slowly getting him to sway with her to the beat of the music.

“Now start talking to me, but pretend to whisper in my ear. But what I want you to do is to answer my questions. Understood?”

Ben was freaking out inside, wondering how he was supposed to do this without getting a hard on and ending up with Rey kneeing him in the balls. So much so, that he didn’t even hear what Rey was saying to him. 

"Ben, did you understand?” she asked bluntly, trying not to look suspicious while scolding Ben. “It's a yes and no question, Ben. It's not that hard."

Ben was one second from losing his mind if Rey didn’t stop talking about things getting _hard._

"Y-yes. I did,” he stuttered.

“Dear Lord, help me.” 

“Okay, I've answered your question. Care to tell me what to do next?”

“Stop being a buffoon would be good, for starters,” Rey whispered, rolling her eyes.

“I heard that.”

“So _now_ you’re able to hear me?”

“Rey, I don’t know why I agreed to your brilliant plan but I’m starting to deeply regret it.”

Releasing his arms, Rey turned around, annoyed by his attitude.

“You. Were. The. One Who. Wanted- ” She emphasized every word with a slap to his arm, not giving a shit if anyone was watching them. “To. Get. Laid. Tonight. You. Little. Piece. Of- ”

“Hey, hey, stop it. I’m sorry.” While Rey continued to slap him, Ben was trying desperately to contain the woman’s wrath. “I said I’m sorry. Please, stop slapping me.” 

Trying to catch her breath, Rey looked around to assess how much damage their little scene had caused.

“Now look what you've done. She’s gone.”

“What? Who’s gone?” Ben’s brain was still trying to process how the hell a six foot guy had his ass whipped by a petite woman like Rey, in the middle of a club.

Sensing that she had ruined the night, Rey looked down, ashamed by what her fury had cost Ben. She also lost her chance to redeem herself for what she already had done to the guy’s ego. Apparently she was an expert at being a cock-blocker in Ben’s life.

Seeing how Rey was upset, Ben took her hand, making her look at him.

“Hey. It’s okay. You didn’t need to set me up with anyone tonight. In fact, I'd prefer if two of us could- “

Before he could tell her he wanted to spend his time with her instead of some stranger that he didn’t even know if he wanted to be with, the girl of the hour decided to show up, caching Rey’s attention. 

Apparently, Bazine thought that she was the one who had caused trouble between the love birds and was now staring at Ben without any restraint or shame. But Rey didn’t know that, so she decided that she needed to take urgent measures to prove to the woman that Ben and her were indeed together.

She had to think fast. What could she do to make a girl like Bazine believe that their act wasn’t a farce? What would be the perfect thing that would convince her and top off their show?

_Oh, fuck it! I’ve already come this far, why not go all in? Brace yourself girl, here we go._

Standing on her tiptoes, Rey grabbed Ben by the collar and, without hesitation, kissed him so hard she swore she could hear people in the back of the club gagging. She hung onto his shirt like it was a life jacket, holding him tightly so he couldn’t tear their lips apart. She felt that he wasn’t doing anything to make her stay but, at this point, she couldn’t care less.

When she finally broke their kiss, she searched his eyes and immediately froze, her mouth open to say something but her brain wouldn’t let her. It was too fogged with the taste of Ben’s lips. So she did the first thing that came to mind - she turned and walked away from him, wishing that the floor would open up and swallow her.

She couldn’t look behind, too afraid of what she would see if she turned around. He was probably thinking that she had gone crazy to do something like that. It all was so inappropriate. What was she thinking? She didn’t know what had compelled her to do such a thing. 

Maybe it was the thrill of making someone as obnoxious as Bazine realise that the man she had chosen to be her prey that night belonged to her, Rey. Maybe it was the couple of beers she had drunk doing the talking. Or maybe, just maybe, it was because she realized that Ben Solo, the sweet guy she had met a couple of weeks ago, was also _hot as hell._

For his part, Ben was shocked by all that had happened. He was absolutely dumbstruck by the fact that Rey had kissed him. What was happening with the world? Did someone put something in his drink that was making him hallucinate that bad? 

He was such an idiot. Why didn't he do anything to show to her he wanted her to stay? She was probably thinking that he didn’t return her kiss because he wasn’t interested.

He should have done something. Anything. He should have caressed her face, pulled her close, wrapped his arms around her. God, he didn’t even kiss her back! Why did he have to be such a loser?

He had to do something. Had to find her and fix this mess. But what if he was reading this all wrong? What if, for her, the whole thing wasn't anything more than a prank between friends? What if she was just playing along the whole time? How low would she think of him if, once again, he'd misunderstood what her true intentions were? 

He looked around to see if he could find her, but apparently it was too late. She had already gone somewhere she didn’t have to deal with the silly hopes he kept creating in his head.

Lost in his little world where the taste of her lips had its own kingdom, Ben didn’t notice that Bazine was approaching him, a killer lioness ready to start the hunt.

“I see there’s a problem in paradise,” Bazine drawled, her voice sounding like a snake.

“What?” Ben nearly jumped out of his skin, suddenly awakened from his thoughts.

“There,” she pointed in the direction Rey had headed. “Your girlfriend, right?”

“Her?” he stuttered. “Y-yes, she is.”

“I saw you guys fighting. Was it because you kept looking at me?”

_Looking at you? I didn’t waste a second to acknowledge you existed while I was living the happiest moment of my life._

“Uh…yeah. I think it was.”

“So, are you available now?” Bazine asked. “I mean, since you’re so fascinated by me, it’s only fair that I let you share my pleasant company for the rest of this evening.”

“Oh, lucky me,” he answered blankly, trying to hide his sarcasm. 

Ben was already regretting his decision to go along with Rey’s ludicrous plan. Now, not only did he have to deal with the impossible task of forgetting how divine her kiss had felt but he also had to face the nightmare of talking with a woman that he now, more than ever, realized could never stand as Rey’s replacement.

“Aren't you going to ask me my name?"

_Not if I can avoid talking to you for the rest of my life._

When Bazine heard nothing but crickets, she tried to turn the situation around, acting like his attitude didn't bother her at all. She extended her hand towards him for a kiss, as if she were royalty and he, her mere servant. “Well, I’m Bazine Netal.” 

“Oh, hi. I’m Ben.” Instead of kissing her hand, he reached out and shook it. He was too distracted trying to spot Rey among the crowd to notice what was going on and how much he was pissing her off with his apparent lack of interest.

“So, ‘only Ben’,” she grumped, voice dripping with disdain due to his bad manners. “What do you do for a living? Let me guess. You’re a doctor?”

“No.”

“Lawyer?”

“No.”

“Banker?”

“Accounting.”

“What?”

“Accounting.” He looked at her like she had grown a second head. “Have you ever heard of it? I find it really difficult to believe that you don’t know what an accountant is.”

_Is this woman that stupid? If there existed an Olympic event for making bad decisions, he surely would be a gold medalist._

“No, I know what it is,” she replied angrily. “What I don’t know is why I’m wasting my time with an accountant.” 

At this point in the conversion, Ben wasn't even pretending that he was paying attention to what the annoying woman was saying. The only thing he was focused on was trying to figure out where the hell Rey might've gone. 

“Well, you're lucky to have a body like yours,” she drawled. “It’s the only reason I’m giving you a second chance.”

Ben was internally rolling his eyes. Didn’t this woman know how to take a hint?

Trying to regain Ben’s attention, Bazine moved closer and slid her manicured fingernails down his chest. “I wonder what’s under those clothes?” she whispered, biting her lips seductively.

“Can you please not do that? I’m trying to find someone.” Ben took a step away, hoping the obnoxious woman would, once and for all, get the idea and see that he wasn’t into her. If he could only go back in time, he would never have told Rey he wanted to have anything to do with, apparently, Satan himself.

“You know, any man in this club would kill to have me in his bed. I don’t know why I’m wasting my time with you.”

“Neither do I,” he spoke under his breath, wishing he could scream his agony out loud so this nauseating being would leave him alone.

By now, all that Ben could hear was the annoying, unceasing sound of someone who kept talking and talking and talking. Why couldn’t she just shut up and get out of his hair? 

"Hey! Are you even listening to me?" Bazine grabbed his arm, demanding that she was the sole focus of this attention. She was fuming, completely outraged by his actions.

"You know, I could literally be with _any_ guy I wanted in this club and still you're here, not even noticing that I’m in front of you and giving you the chance of your life,” she snapped. “It's not like I'm a narcissist, but do you really want to lose me, the woman that every man in here wants, to go back to your bland, mundane girlfriend?" 

“I'm sorry. Did you say something?” Ben wasn't even trying to hide his lack of interest in their conversation, looking for where Rey might’ve gone. And he wasn’t giving a damn what that woman thought about his behaviour. He only wanted to get out of there and be with the only girl he really wanted.

But Bazine wasn’t about to throw in the towel and acknowledge her defeat. She wasn't a girl who liked to lose, so she kept doing anything to turn the situation in her favor. She couldn’t let her friends see how Ben was about to dump her, a perfect ten, over a girl who nearly passed as a four. 

“Maybe you’re misjudging my intentions,” she soothed her voice, trying to recompose herself. “To be clear, I’m offering you the honor of being my date tonight. Can’t you see that- “

Suddenly, all the noise of Bazine's voice disappeared when Ben spotted Rey being dragged against her will by an unknown man.

Ben saw red. He didn’t give two shits about what Bazine thought as he left her talking to herself, and ran to Rey’s rescue.

When Bazine realised that he was going to ditch her, she grabbed Ben’s arm, trying to avoid being left standing in the middle of the club by a guy she thought would be eating out of the palm of her hand.

“What are you doing? You can’t leave me talking to myself,” she shouted, outraged.

But it was too late for Bazine. Ben had already released himself from her grip and ran to where Rey was being assaulted.

“Let go of me, Jeff! I have nothing to say to you!” Rey yelled, trying to get loose from his grip. “Just stay away from me.”

Ben heard Rey shouting, the man who was pulling her by her arm was now forcing her against a wall. 

Ben didn't care who he pushed out of the way, he needed to reach Rey and keep her safe from that motherfucker.

“Hey! What are you doing? Get away from her. NOW!” Ben ordered.

"Back off, man. It's none of your business," the guy hissed, tightening his grip on Rey’s arm.

"You're hurting my friend, so it's _definitely_ my business!" Ben shouted, trying to impose his bulk over the man.

With her ex-boyfriend's attention on Ben, Rey managed to break free and stepped behind the protection of Ben’s body.

"Your friend? So now you're sleeping around with your 'friends' too?" Rey’s ex accused her. Apparently, he believed that she had been sleeping around, cheating on him. 

"No, I'm not,” she took another step away from him. “But even if I was, it's none of your bloody business. It's my life and you don't get to tell me how to live it!" 

Rey stood securely behind Ben, who stood in front of her ex like a brick wall, protecting her from the man’s attack. One that, apparently, was clearly ignoring Ben’s presence. He kept yelling and threatening her, physically and verbally. 

Ben was struggling to resolve the situation without using violence as it would only make things worse than they already were. He was making a herculean effort to stay calm and prevent himself from punching the guy. 

"I’m sorry, pal, but I'll have to ask you to leave. Right. Now." Ben tried one more time to use his diplomacy and not his fists to get him the hell out of here.

"Really? Say's who?" the guy barked, defying Ben.

When Ben didn’t fall for his taunt, the guy pushed him, trying to get Ben to start a fight, but Ben didn't flinch or even move an inch. Rey’s ex was a tall, strong guy but, compared to the massive stature of Ben, he didn’t stand a chance.

Ben was reaching the limits of his patience, mustering all his strength to not let himself lose control and create mayhem in the middle of the club.

“I’m asking you, one more time, to get away from here and leave her alone,” Ben growled, giving his last warning. Hell would freeze over before he let the guy lay a finger on Rey.

“You don’t get to tell me what to do. Now, stay away from this bitch so I can- “

They were the last words Rey’s ex-boyfriend said before he was knocked down by Ben.

People nearby began screaming and moving away, not knowing what was happening. The club's security guards immediately came to stop the fight, standing between the two men to keep them apart. 

Rey was surprised by Ben’s actions. Not in a million years would she have thought he was capable of such a thing. It all had happened so fast that she was still trying to process what had happened in front of her. 

She leaned against the wall to regain her balance, hand covering her mouth, and eyes wide with shock. She didn’t know what to do, so she stood there, frozen, hoping that one of her friends would come to her rescue.

The last thing she saw was Ben being thrown out of the club.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you guys want to know who Rey’s ex-boyfriend, Jeff, was named after?
> 
> **Mr. Jeffrey Jacob Abrams**. 
> 
> Suck it up, J.J.! For your information, I feel about you the same way Rey feels about her ex. No regrets.
> 
> You can find me on[ Twitter](https://twitter.com/JadeAunt?s=09) and[ Tumblr](https://auntmarajade.tumblr.com).
> 
> Did you like my work? Check my other fanfic **Blank Space** , clicking[ here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24280933). 
> 
> Please, leave your kudos and commentaries. They mean the world to me. 😍


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hy, guys! I missed you.
> 
> For some miracle I can’t explain, I was capable of publishing this chapter within my upload deadline. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> A big thank you to my amazing beta, **Cecilia1204**. You can find her on[ Twitter](https://twitter.com/queenoferebor12), [ Tumblr](https://queenoferebor1204.tumblr.com) and [ AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cecilia1204).
> 
> ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

After the mayhem Ben caused in the club where Rey’s ex’s boyfriend tried to assault her, he was feeling like the biggest fool on the face of the earth. 

He was standing in the middle of the street, his mind foggy, still trying to process what had happened that night. What was he thinking, punching someone in a crowded bar, in front of all those people and, worst of all, in front of Rey? 

Ben wasn’t the type of guy who resorted to violence to resolve conflicts. Much to the contrary, throughout his life, he preferred to tackle his problems by taking the safe road of diplomacy instead of getting carried away and acting like a barbarian. When faced with an argument or a situation where things got out of hand, he would always use reason and never lose his composure. 

He couldn’t explain why he had reacted as he had. The only thing he knew was that, seeing Rey being hurt and treated like she was nothing, he lost all reasoning or care about the consequences and had acted on pure instinct. The same instinct that had screamed that he needed to protect her from any kind of danger. 

He didn’t know what came over him to lose all control the way he did in front of the woman he was so infatuated with. He loathed himself, disgusted for behaving like a douchebag like the man Rey called her ex, a bully who preferred to solve his problems like a coward, with fists instead of brains. He wanted her to see him as a gentleman, not a caveman.

If he'd had any chance with Rey, to win her respect and admiration, it was all lost now. His attempt to charm her and convince her that he was worthy of being with her, even if only as a friend, were all for naught. 

He did what he always did best: screw things up. He enjoyed blaming the Universe for his misfortunes but, deep inside, he knew that he was the only one responsible for them.

Lost in self-loathing, Ben walked down the street aimlessly, maybe hoping to find somewhere to hide from the thoughts in his head.

In his distraction, Ben didn’t hear the voice calling for him. When he did he wondered if he had gone crazy, because the voice sounded just like Rey.

“Ben!” Rey yelled, running towards him. “Hey,” she stopped in front of him, trying to catch her breath. “I thought I had lost you. Where are you going?”

“Probably to hell, where I belong.” Ben was exhausted, feeling like trash, too embarrassed to look Rey in the eye. He knew for sure that he would find loathing and disgust there, the only things he deserved.

When he felt her gently touch his forearm, he swallowed, trying to find the nerve to look at her, but when his eyes met hers, they were shining, reflecting the sweet smile she wore. The only things he could see in her face were concern and empathy.

“Ben,” she murmured. Even breathless, her voice was still the sweetest tune he had ever heard. “Don’t say that.” 

She stopped for a moment and searched his eyes to make sure that he was focused on what she was saying. “Do you realize what you did back there?” she asked, leaning into him.

“Act like an animal in front of you and your friends?”

“No, Ben. You saved me.” 

“I’m not sure if behaving like a monster gives me the powers necessary to save someone.”

Seeing his uneasiness, she gently rubbed the skin on the inside of his wrist, trying to sooth and reassure him that things were going to be okay. She knew that he was taking the blame for all the fuss that had happened because of the incident.

“Hey, look at me. It's okay," she whispered.

In Ben’s head, he still felt the weight of having lost control when he should have just stepped away and not almost broken the guy’s nose.

“I know that you didn’t mean to punch him, although I must admit-” she grinned, “-it gave me great pleasure to see that scumbag hitting the floor.” 

Ben was surprised by Rey's chuckle.

“I still can see him shitting his pants when he realized that you would break much more than his nose if he even thought of laying another finger on me again.” She tried to replicate the look on her ex's face, her giggles becoming contagious.

They looked at each other and Ben couldn’t help himself. He joined her and began to laugh over the absurdity of the night's events. 

After their laughter had died down, the mood shifted when neither of them moved to fill the silence. 

Seeing that Rey was uncomfortable, he was unsure if he should address the elephant in the room, but he didn’t want her to think that it was too unimportant for him to ask about or to offer a friendly shoulder if she needed one.

“So,” Ben started. “Do you want to talk about what happened in there? I suppose he’s your boyfriend? Or used to be, at least.”

“That's Jeff, my ex-boyfriend.” She looked at her shoes, trying to avoid his eyes. “We dated five months ago,” she added. “We met because one of his mates went to school with Finn. We kind of connected from the start.”

“Love at first sight, uh?”

“I wouldn’t put it like that,” she raised her head, letting her eyes stare at the rising moon that made bright a cloudless sky. ”We kept bumping into each other whenever our friends got together which was like, every single week,” she pointed out. “Then we started to spend the weekends together, movies, dinners, you know, the whole dating thing.” 

Ben looked at her to reassure her that he was listening.

“We'd been seeing each other for almost five weeks when I began believing that things were getting serious. That we were in boyfriend/girlfriend territory,” she paused, taking a deep breath. “But obviously, that wasn’t what he had in mind.”

“Let me guess. He took you for granted.”

“Isn’t it what always happens?” She looked at Ben, a sad smile crossing her features.

“One Friday, he ditched me to go play basketball with his friends and I got kind of pissed because we had plans that night and he waited until the end of the day to call our date off.” 

“I would be pissed off too if that happened to me.”

“Right?” she squealed, glad that someone else would be outraged if they had been treated like that.

“I had a birthday on Saturday and I decided to give him a taste of his own medicine,” she confessed. “So when he invited me to go to a party, I said that I already had other plans.”

“And he took it poorly when you ditched him?” Ben asked.

“On the contrary,” she answered. “He told me to go and have a good time.” 

“Okay, now I’m not following you at all.”

“He said it was a shame I had other plans but he couldn’t call it off with the guys,” she remarked. “He said how he would miss me there and that was pretty much it.” 

Looking back, Rey saw how stupid she was for not being able to see what was so clearly happening. 

“The thing is, my strategy backfired because my party was seriously dead,” she explained. “I mean, no one was having fun.” 

“Sounds like me at any kind of party I go,” he joked.

“Hey!” She smacked his arm. “I thought you were having fun at Hux’s birthday.” 

Ben looked at her and watched her radiant smile light up her face. “May I remind you that I even saw you dancing in there,” she deadpanned. “Mr. ‘I don’t like parties’”. 

He was relieved to see that he was able to make her smile again. She seemed to need a good laugh or two to ease the painful memories of a failed relationship.

“Anyway,” she took a deep breath before continuing. “After admitting to myself that my revenge tactic had backfired, I decided to go meet him at the party he was at, but when I called to let him know I was coming, he didn't answer his phone. I knew right away that something was wrong.”

She stopped talking, staring at the horizon. Ben could see the tears she was trying to hold back and knew, despite the offhand jokes she threw out, the memories were very painful and difficult to revisit. 

He decided to help her out. “I presume that, despite your better judgment, you decided to go and meet him at his party. Am I right?” 

“Yes,” she nodded, swallowing the lump that was forming in the back of her throat. “I had to see it with my own eyes, you know,” taking a long pause before continuing. “He saw me leaving the party and realized I had caught him with another girl.”

“Tell me that you threw a drink at his face or slapped him in front of all his friends,” he joked, trying to lighten her mood.

“I wish I had,” she sighed. “But my instincts told me to run away, so I did. He reached me as I was getting into a taxi and begged me to talk to him, to let him explain himself.”

“So now you slapped him?” he joked again.

“Stop it!” she yelled, smacking his arm. “No one got slapped that night.”

“He's lucky that I wasn’t around to break his nose,” he mocked, puffing up his chest.

“We went to my apartment, where he told me how much he regretted his actions, that he didn't realise we were getting serious. They never do,” she huffed.

“And then he asked if I would be his girlfriend. No more shenanigans, no more lies. This time things would be real.” She tried to remember if she'd genuinely bought his words or if she'd known all along that this was all a big farce.

“Long story short, it wasn't. I caught him cheating on me not once but twice, though I bet it was much more than that,” she sighed, still feeling the stubborn pain that seemed to never leave her chest.

Sometimes she wanted to go back in time and slap herself for being so naive. For settling for the first scrumbag that could barely pretend not to treat her like trash. Sometimes she felt that the reason she never learned that was because, deep inside, she didn't believe she deserved any better. 

“The sad thing was that, each time it happened, each time he played the ‘I’m sorry, it’ll never happen again’ card, I bought it. I was such a fool for falling for it over and over again.”

Rey kept remembering all the times her Jeff had cheated on her and how she took him back, every single time. Even if she, deep inside, knew that he didn’t love her. That he didn’t even like her enough to take her seriously, to not treat their relationship as a joke. 

She learned early in her life that, like him, all the people she thought loved her, sooner or later let her down, be it her parents, her friends, her lovers.

_They leave. They all leave._

The weight of Rey’s past had left a deep mark on her, one that led her to form a hard shell around herself. One that only a few people had succeeded in breaching.

Finn was the only friend she trusted with her heart and soul. The thought of lowering her defenses to let other people into her life frightened her to her bones. 

Throughout her life, Rey had been torn between the two voices that lived inside of her: one in her heart and another in her head.

The voice in her heart whispered that she needed to let her walls down. That she was being too harsh on herself and that she couldn't let her fears get the best of her. 

Sooner or later, she would have to let people in. If she didn't, when that one person she so longed for crossed her path, she would lose him for being so closed off.

He would move on and she would be left behind, alone. As always.

_They leave. They all leave._

On the other hand, the second voice, the one inside her head, _screamed_ that letting people in only resulted in pain and disappointment. 

Once they discovered her past, they would look at and treat her differently to before. And she hated it. She hated the pitying way people looked at her, like she was a victim, someone weak.

Keeping people out was the only way to prevent that. But keeping people out meant no one would ever stay. But what was the point anyway? In the end, the result would always be the same. 

_They leave. They all leave._

Trying to hide the hurt and pain she was feeling, she continued.

“What can I say,” she looked down, playing with her fingernails. "I’m the one to blame. After all, I have the worst taste in men.”

“Hey,” he took her hand to catch her attention. “It wasn't your fault. He’s the only one to blame for his hideous actions,” he added tenderly. “Never say that again, okay?”

“I guess we share the same bad habit of thinking little of ourselves.”

"That's not true,” he pointed out. “When it comes to me, it’s scientifically proven that I have a 99.99% chance of messing up things that come my way.”

“You don’t mess things up, Ben,” she giggled, making a fist to hit his arm. “You punch them in the face. There's a slight difference there.” 

After so many ups and downs, it was unbelievable how absurd their night had ended up. Ben was worried about how his actions would affect the way her friends saw him from now on.

“So...are you saying that you’re not mad at me for punching your ex-boyfriend’s face, in the middle of a club, in front of all your friends, at the birthday party of your best friend?”

“Well, when you put it like that…” she mumbled, letting the answer hang in the air.

"Yeah, I thought so," he murmured, looking down to avoid the disappointment he would no doubt see on her face.

“I understand if you no longer want anything to do with me,” he continued. “It was totally uncalled for to act the way I did, especially on a day so important for you and Finn.” 

“Ben,” she cut him off and stopped walking so they could talk while looking at each other. “Why do you always think so little of yourself? You’re such a sweet guy.” 

“I get that you’re feeling guilty for what happened back there,” she reassured him. “But you were the only one who came to rescue me from the asshole who thinks he has the right to control my life even though we’re not together anymore.”

“Can’t you see what you did just to defend me?” she asked. “You put yourself on the line for me. You were the one who got kicked out, not me,” she grinned. “You’re the one that’s banned from that club from now on.” 

Rey spoke soothingly and gently touched his forearm. “I’m the one who should be feeling guilty for putting you in this mess,” she added. “I’m so sorry that you were the one who had to deal with the consequences of being my knight in shining armor.” 

“Now you’re going to embarrass me by making me cry,” Ben joked, pouting his lips and pretending he was about to drown himself in tears. 

“You moron,” she swatted the arm she was caressing a minute ago. 

“Come on.” Ben laughed when he saw Rey looking indignantly at him. “I don’t feel like getting arrested for attacking another of your ex’s.” At her glare, he began running, laughing at the same time.

Rey began to chase him down the middle of the street, but he dodged her attacks. When she finally reached him, he caught her by the waist, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around while she laughed and yelled for him to let her go. 

In an attempt to release herself from his grip, she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him down when she finally touched the ground.

Suddenly their laughter was replaced by a sweet silence and for a minute they just stood there, gazing at each other, searching for answers to an unspoken question. Almost imperceptibly, their glances shifted to each other’s lips. They were so close they could feel each other's breath.

It would be so easy to take the next step. It would only take a millisecond to make the decision that would change everything between them. And this time, neither had any intention of stopping it from happening. They were magnets, attracting one another. It was new and unexpected and yet it felt so right. 

This time they were on the same page, with the same desire. So the only thing they could do was to close the distance and- 

“REY!” 

Finn. Motherfuckling Finn. Yes, it was him yelling, running down the street to meet them, totally ruining the moment.

“Hey! Where did you guys go? We were looking for you everywhere,” he asked. “Poe said that Jeff was trying to hurt you and Ben punched the bastard in the face. All this happening and I didn’t get to see a thing!” 

“What do you mean you didn’t see a six foot tall man hitting my ex in the face?”

“I was in the bathroom!!!” Finn cried out loud. “I can’t believe I missed the highest point of my birthday party.” 

“So, you’re not mad at me from ruining your party?” Ben asked Finn, still concerned that Rey’s friend would never forgive him for what he had done.

“What?” Finn yelped. “The party was super lame and I was super desperate to leave. I just needed a good excuse to ditch my other guests.”

Ben gave Rey a funny look, trying to figure out how Finn could find a silver lining in their crazy night.

“You’re my hero, Ben.” Finn pretended he was going to hug him. “And not only because you saved my birthday, but because you taught that scumbag to not mess around with our princess. Right, Peanut?”

“You’re insufferable, Finn,” she giggled.

“You wouldn't have any other way.”

“Now,” Finn rubbed his hands like he was about to explain his next evil plan. “Who’s up to hitting the next club? That place is jinxed for life.”

“For God’s sake, Finn, can’t we all go grab a pizza and call it a night?” Rey asked.

“No way, miss. It’s still my birthday, so you all have to do whatever I want. And Ben,” he pointed to his knight in shining armor. “You’re not off the hook. Now that I know you can turn a party around, you’re not allowed to go home until I say so.”

_Dear Lord, what have I got myself into?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you guys find of this chapter? Good? Bad? Please, stop making Ben act like a virgin and Rey the worst matchmaker that ever walked in the face of the earth? Let me know in the comments and leave your kudos. 😍
> 
> Did you like my work? Check my other fanfic **Blank Space** , clicking[ here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24280933). 
> 
> You can find me on[ Twitter](https://twitter.com/JadeAunt?s=09) and[ Tumblr](https://auntmarajade.tumblr.com).


End file.
